A platform to build on?

toonsy

Togetherness can pull us through.
Two games in, no defeats, four points, two clean sheets and a win against our fierce local rivals. Not bad eh?

Quite simply if you’d have offered me that before the start of the season I’d have snapped your hands off. A draw against a perennial top four side currently in turmoil is something I’d have settled for from the outset, and I’d have begrudgingly settled for a draw at the unwashed so it’s nice to see us exceed my expectation on that score.

With a slight gap in the clouds that have been hanging over St James’ Park in recent weeks starting appear we have been afforded the luxury of being able to actually build on something on a number of fronts in what could be a critical couple of weeks of the season. We’ve made a decent start so why not make the most of it?

Next up it’s Scunthorpe away on Thursday evening. I expect we’ll see a change in personnel and will see players like Haris Vuckic and Dan Gosling getting a run out in what is a tricky potential banana skin of a fixture. We should have enough to get through which will be a nice little bonus of course although I’ll not be taking anything for granted. Remember Stevenage!

After that we a couple of league games which we should be looking to win. Thing is, Fulham and QPR will be thinking much the same thing. We should be looking for a win against Fulham. Yes they are a good side who are tough to beat, but we are at home and I’d nearly always say that we should be winning our home games.

If we can manage that it will send us into the international break on a high and we can look forward happily to a trip to QPR knowing that another win is achievable. In fairness though away games in the Premier League are tough so once again a draw would probably do for me.

Will it happen? Who knows, but the root formula is there and we have a run of games in which we can pull some results out of the bag. That’s on paper though, and Newcastle don’t do things on paper.

This platform I keep speaking of can be strengthened further with a couple of additions as we approach the final week of the transfer window, but it’s not just players in that should be the priority and there should be a concerted effort to keep hold of our current key players.

Bringing in players in the two positions that have been identified is a minimum and if we can do that without shedding any more first team players then I’ll be reasonably happy with the way our business has been done this window. Could we have spent more? Not bothered really, but the answer is of course yes.

I’m being hopelessly optimistic here, but it’s the fallout from the win at Sunderland that is doing it and I see no reason why we can’t win the next three games, especially as it would appear that all the players are kicking and fighting for each other at the moment.

Sure it will be tough, but it’s most certainly achievable.

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

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65 thoughts on “A platform to build on?”

  1. great result on Sunday and a couple of more signings would round things off quite nicely.

    Just sorting out my tickets for Sunday and a question for you season ticket holders … where in the ground is there the best atmosphere now that the singing section has been dibanded ??

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  2. Don’t think anybody expected such a good start in two very tough opening fixtures.

    However last year we also got results in our tough fixtures and messed up the easy ones. So lets hope, with two very winnable fixtures in the league, we can take that stat to 10 points from our opening four fixtures. 😯

    That would certainly take the pressure off wouldn’t it. I certainly don’t think with the weak teams in the league this year that we’ll need more than 38 points to survive to 10 from four would be fantastic!

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  5. Credit where it is due and after a dodgy opening twenty minutes or so we got to grips with things. The defence were superb especially Collo and Saylor. We need that LB back in although Raylor played his part. The Dutch Lad Pieters would be a good signing covering both LB and central defence. Come on Ashley surprise us and give us the prize No 9 we crave for and then that would make things interesting for the rest of the season. Someone with pace and a proven goalscorer.

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  6. David @ 4 – To be fair they will always be biased, as will fans of other clubs when they ponder matches. Like Arsenal who are the vestral virgins of the Premier League according to themselves as they ripped into Joey Barton whilst completely glossing over the fact that they have 3 (yes THREE) players out on suspensions already 🙂

    One thing that strikes me when nosing around at other clubs blogs is the lack of comments. Where are they all?

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  7. Toonsy I think your right to be optimistic for the season ahead. Think the team is coming togther nicely n pardew is doing an excellant job.

    JJ yeah 10 points from first games be amazing n hoefully we get them. Been great start to season n hopefully we can build on it.

    Lets get the two players we need and try keep Barton and i think we should be able to finish top 10.

    Next tho a chance for youngsters to show their worth against scunthrope. Be nice to get a decent run in one of the cups this season

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  9. Toonsy – worky and his chaps were waiting for a drubbing on Sunday to be able to say

    1. I told you so
    2. Ashley et al are muppets
    3. pardew doesn’t know his *rse from his elbow

    They cannot bring themselves to celebrate without bitter side swipes at all or any of the above … pretty depressing after a fantastic win against the great unwashed.

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  12. “One thing that strikes me when nosing around at other clubs blogs is the lack of comments. Where are they all?”

    Was actually wanting to go on a Scum blog after the game to see their comments on Saturday, but couldn’t find a decent one with more than four or five comments.

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  14. Ice I cant check that link whats the jest of it me old bean .
    Yeah we have got a good platform with a couple of quality additions imo we will be safe top 10 with a real chance of pushing on.
    Toonsy i dont know about many blog’s but the ones i do know of, when the blogmaster argue’s and questions anyone’s opinion that doesn’t fall into his own, then that is a problem.
    Just ask MM he is either ignored or rediculed or questioned like he was a criminal.

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  15. 3 wins? Hope you’re right, Toonsy. But one thing I’ve learnt in all the years of following Newcastle is that you can never predict what will happen next. We are just as likely to lose all three as win them.

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  16. DAVE club are going to report toon for tapping up there c/f when they had refused to allow club to speak to him 🙄

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  17. Tell you what, though, I’m looking forward to seeing how Pardew lines the team up against Fulham. Fulham are probably going to do what we did to Arsenal and Sunderland, so now’s the opportunity for Newcastle to do some attacking.

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  18. Cheers Ice, there has been a few stories over the last week or so that make us look slightly underhand.
    I hope its not the case as we get hammered enogh as it is without our club looking as if we would do the dirt on others. 👿

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  19. JJ @11… it’s no surprise that you couldn’t find a decent Sunderland blog site with more that four or five comments….

    Remind me somebody please, who was it said that education’s a wonderful thing but it really is wasted on some?

    😎

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  20. @Shrewsmag

    Either in the Leazes Level 7 corner (Still quite a few up there) or the Strawberry corner.

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  21. Yes i did richie! I think I remember that now from our time in the championship! Cheers

    http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,11095_7117682,00.html

    Scumberland have appoint Steve Staunton to their backroom staff to produce detailed reports of the club’s upcoming opponents. Only problemw with that is he is useless! Remeber him been Ireland manager stating that the mighty San Marino ( or maybe it was Andorra ) were going to greatly improve and casue teams realy trouble after we need an injury time winner against them. The ” gaffer ” as he reffered himself to is a muppet 🙂

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  22. update on LB situation from Lee Ryder’s twitter –

    ‘Dutch sources say #nufc will not offer more than 5m Euros for Pieters, #psv want 7m Euros’

    ‘Also fresh talk of Wayne Bridge as plan B should Pieters fall through if #mcfc agree to pay 50 per cent of his wages in a loan deal #nufc’

    http://twitter.com/#!/lee_ryder

    Can’t help but feel we’re going to leave it right until the end of the window haggling and generally f’ing other teams about, 9 days left…….

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  24. Just a thought Big If, but Manure win their next two games Home to spurs & ****. Spurs then have Citeh which if they lose we could see Spurs & **** could be in the bottom 3 along with fulham if we win.
    Harry and winger in the bottom three along with Jol who so many toon fans wanted when CH left. Irony 😎

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  27. Alreet lads.

    Home Sweet Home, Finally.

    I already feel a better person 😛

    Also, I dont see any of you digging my Raylor article anymore 😛

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  31. Well, the toon till sunday, then france for a week, now sheffield, then back to the toon, feel like a business man and im only 17 😆

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  32. no, not yet ice 😆

    aye, when I checked and saw raylor had scored I went mentle, I then slowly walked out the internet room with my head down 😆

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  35. RT- I forget to set my alarm 😳 😆

    Dave, we’ve just been promoting the train in france 😆

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  37. Aye Spence – he crawled up Troy’s **** and died.

    Unfortunately he still talks out of there the majority of the time. 😆

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  38. so we wont offer 7m to pieters and we have been tapping maiga up with no permission 😆 nothing goes swimmingly with the toon !! saturday was good mind 😎

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  42. Big Dave- Email me with the full story later 😛

    Ice- cheers for the fill in 😀

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  44. Spence,

    Dave we about to hold a memorial service in your honour I think you just made his day! 😉

    But he will be calling you ***** and **** a lot more now he knows you ok… 😀

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  46. JJ- It will be alreet 😆

    Also did anyone eles have a problem with there season ticket?

    Mine didnt come, they printed ne a replacement, then that didnt work at first, right (ock up.

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  47. The lezes was dead other week, the Strawberry wasnt much better cause they we’re making everyone sit down if you we’rent at the back.

    Thankfully im near the back 😀

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  48. TOONSY

    Any chance we can help out with this:

    #bring back the scarves…

    Think its a great idea. Would be brilliant.

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  50. toonsy @6 … I really should start reading comments properly before responding … ‘other clubs blogs’ 😥

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  51. Shrews – True.but notice how nobody pulled you up on it because you’re still essentially right 😆

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  52. JJ – Fancy giving it a crack? Or do you want me to do it?

    By the way your last one you sent in is ready for publishing. I’m just waiting for the right time you soft fanny 😉

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  54. i was soooooooo impressed with cabaye on sat ,he totally gets stuck in to a tackle and loves getting forward!! the new robert lee eh , get in my son

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  55. Good start but lets not get carried away!

    Striker and LB desperately needed, but won’t be surprised if we don’t get either.

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  56. ” Bringing in players in the two positions that have been identified is a minimum and if we can do that without shedding any more first team players then I’ll be reasonably happy with the way our business has been done this window. Could we have spent more? Not bothered really, but the answer is of course yes.”

    Pretty much sums up my feelings too, Toonsy.
    It would appear that all Ashley has to do to placate the majority of fans is to get us a decent leftback and a decent striker without too much fuss.

    However I see we are reported as being not prepared to pay more than £4m for Pieters, and we are about to be reported for illegally tapping up Maiga.
    I just wish they’d get the deals done without the fannying about because the constant, unnecessary drama is beginning to boil my **** worse than cystitis.

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  57. Stu79 – I’m confident we will get both a LB and a CF by the end of the transfer window. I’m not so sure about the quality of either though 😕

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  60. Army

    I’m 8th in the fantasy league and the predictor, you clearly know nothing about football… 🙄 😉 😉 😉 😆

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  62. @simon – Fair play. My mistake. Still thought the article I read was unbelievable biased and just felt like sour grapes.

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  63. David – No worries. The issue of ‘bias’ when it comes to club blogs is a difficult one. A club blog should primarily be for the supporters of that team. I’ve not been to this site before, but I’d expect it to cater to Newcastle fans, see the same of Roker Report to Sunderland fans.

    Talking Tactics is a weekly feature which, taking into account the above remember, focuses primarily on what we did wrong.

    I don’t think the article suggests Newcastle parked the bus, and they didn’t on the pitch. It was what is often dubbed a ‘professional away performance’… which many Mags have agreed with.

    On the day, the better team won, which is of course hard to accept as Sunderland fans, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. You defended better than us, and took the chances you created. We did neither.

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  64. Simon – Point taken. The article was written for SAFC fans. I also appreciated your humility in defeat.

    However, the article doesn’t really describe what actually happened on the day. Never mind, I suppose it matters not.

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  65. David – How don’t you think it described what happened on the day?

    The issue of Larsson’s hand ball was not relevant tactically, which is the same reason I didn’t make a point of mentioning the potential red cards that both sides could have seen.

    As Simon has stated, the ‘Talking Tactics’ pieces are written from a Sunderland point-of-view, aiming to look more at our own performance than the other side’s.

    That said, I feel I was in no way biased; I acknowledged that Newcastle had a gameplan which proved effective, as well as waxing lyrical over a certain Argentinian centre-half…

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